Chapter 300

They relocated to another table. Evelyn fetched two glasses of sparkling fruit punch before excusing herself to the ladies' room.

Upon her return, she resumed her lively conversation with Natalie. Ethan soon joined them, adding his own witty remarks to the discussion.

Their pleasant exchange was abruptly interrupted by a piercing shriek that cut through the hum of the party. "Oh my God! My necklace is gone!"

All eyes snapped toward the commotion. Giselle, the evening's radiant hostess, was frantically rummaging through her clutch, her flawless features twisted in distress. "This can't be happening! It was right here before I left!"

Daphne, standing beside her, mirrored her panic. "Are you sure you didn't misplace it?"

Giselle shook her head violently, her voice trembling. "No! I specifically remember putting it in my bag before I went to freshen up. It's vanished!"

A sudden realization dawned on Daphne. "Wait—you left your bag unattended on the counter when you washed your hands. Do you think… someone could have…?"

Her words trailed off, but the unspoken accusation lingered in the air like a dark cloud.

A young socialite nearby piped up, "If I recall correctly, after you and Ms. Chamberlain used the restroom, no one else went in."

Giselle and Daphne exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions a mix of suspicion and disbelief.

Then another voice chimed in, hesitant but pointed. "But… wasn’t Evelyn the first one to go in?"

The moment the words were spoken, dozens of gazes swiveled toward Evelyn. Murmurs erupted like wildfire.

"What’s going on? Do they think Evelyn took it?"

"That’s ridiculous! She could buy a dozen necklaces if she wanted. Why would she—?"

Evelyn remained unruffled, her posture regal, her expression unreadable. She sipped her drink calmly, as if the accusations were nothing more than background noise.

Giselle, however, wasted no time. She marched up to Evelyn, her voice laced with desperation.

"Ms. Hartley, I hate to ask this, but that necklace is irreplaceable. Have you seen it anywhere?"

Evelyn arched a brow, her tone cool. "Are you implying I took it, Ms. Sterling?"

Daphne quickly interjected, "No one’s accusing you, Ms. Hartley. It’s just that you were the only other person in the restroom around the same time."

Natalie scoffed. "So now everyone who used the bathroom is a suspect?"

Daphne backtracked. "Not at all. We’re just trying to piece together what happened."

Evelyn set her glass down with deliberate calm. "I didn’t see anything."

Giselle bit her lip, her fingers twisting nervously. Then, hesitantly, she asked, "Ms. Hartley… would you mind if we checked your handbag?"